Gomen, My Cherry Blossom
by DaaNi-ChAn
Summary: He’s hurt her so many times, not realizing that he was hurting himself in the process. Will he get the courage to apologize? //Sakura x Sasuke\\ OneShot! Please R


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Hey everyone, it's DaaNi-ChAn again, reporting live from Konohagakure studios xP. This time I'm going to write a Sakura x Sasuke story. I sure hope you like it. 

**Summary:** he's hurt her so many times, not realizing that he was hurting himself in the process. Will he get the courage to apologize? Sakura x Sasuke, Please R&R

This story is from Sasuke's POV.

Enjoy!

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**Gomen, My Cherry Blossom**

I stood in front of her door; it was the coldest night of December. Snow was falling and everything was covered by a layer of whiteness, as far as the eye can see. The Cold wind struck me from the side as I stood, staring endlessly at the door.

I hurt her, I don't know if she could ever forgive me. I want her to forgive me for what I've done.

You're all wondering what happened? I will tell…

It was a couple of months ago when I came back after killing Orochimaru. Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi were the very first people to welcome me back. I was still acting cold towards them, despite the fact that they were the ones that were supposed to do so, after all that I've done to them.

Naruto welcomed me with a fist bump before pulling me into a brotherly hug. Kakashi did the same, except the hug part which wasn't included. He quickly disappeared, probably going to read his book. I guess old habits die hard.

She was still standing a couple of feet away from us, looking at me with tearful eyes. Naruto grinned and excused himself, leaving us alone.

Sakura took a couple of cautious steps towards me before she threw her arms around me, burying her head in my chest.

"Welcome back, Sasuke-kun"

Her words were sweet. She seemed more sincere, more mature and honest than she was a couple of years ago. I noticed that she didn't cry when I didn't return the gesture, It was my habit, not to get too close to people.

Instead, she smiled at me, telling me that she understands that I needed to rest after a long time away from Konoha, my home village. That smile she gave brought a warm feeling in me, yet I didn't let it show.

I simply nodded, looking coldly at her before walking off, leaving her behind. I still don't understand why I did that, being the jerk I am.

But she didn't get upset; it was the other way around. She was extremely happy the following day, running towards me. I snorted, thinking that she still had her perky personality which hasn't changed. She grabbed my hand and pulled me with her.

"C'mon, Naruto wants to have lunch at Ichiraku Ramen and he wants us to go with him" She said, grinning.

I looked at her, narrowing my eyes. I did what I always did, keeping myself away from others.

"I have other important things to take care of" I said, pulling my hand out from her grip. She blinked a couple of times, obviously trying to hold back the tears.

"I-I understand…" she said, smiling at me. It happened again, that smile, the way she does that, I never understood. "…I won't interrupt you, then." she said, nodding before walking off, leaving me in a whirlwind of confusion.

A couple of weeks have passed and Sakura and I never spoke to each other. Whenever I see her or Naruto, I simply try to avoid them, if I couldn't do so; I just stood with them while they did whatever they usually do with no words to be said.

Then that day when I was walking through one of the roads that led outside Konoha, thinking about a way to avenge my clan, my family by killing my own Aniki, Uchiha Itachi. I was so lost in my thoughts I didn't notice someone behind me.

"Sasuke-kun!" I heard her voice, forcing me to turn around. She stopped a couple of feet away from me, asking me where I was going. It was ironic, more of a déjà vu. It was a couple of years ago when we stood in the same places, the same conversation…

…the same feelings

"I need some time alone" I replied coldly, turning back and continuing my way.

"Outside Konoha?" she asked, making me turn around. "I told you I need some time alone" I replied, a bit roughly, making her wince. "Sasuke-kun, stop distancing yourself from―"

"―What part of 'I want to be alone' don't you understand? Are you too stupid to comprehend the words? Do you want me to spell them?" I bluntly replied, noticing that she was at the verge of tears. Perhaps I went too far with my words, but I didn't stop, my stupid old habit.

"I'm just trying to be your frien―"

"―Why don't you be a good friend and get the hell out of my face?" I yelled, causing some of her tears to drop down her cheeks. I then realized that I've crossed the line. After all, Sakura was my friend, my teammate and probably the one who worried about me the most.

She lightly sobbed, trying to hold back the tears. I felt a ting in my chest; I felt it several times before. I felt it when I came back to my clan to find that it was wiped out, I felt it when I saw my brother after a four years departure, I felt it when she tried to stop me from leaving to Orochimaru, telling me that she was willing to join me in my quest to find my brother and finish him, I also felt it when I refused her pleadings and hit her in the back of her neck.

It was the feeling of being in need for someone to be there for me. Somewhere deep inside, I wanted to be with her, I wanted her by my side. I started to believe that she was the only one who would understand me out of all people. She changed, everyone changed.

…perhaps it's my time to change.

She wiped her tears and looked up at me, "Sasuke-kun…" she started, smiling at me, "…Thank you for wasting your precious time on someone like me" she said, walking off.

Her words struck me like lightening. She appeared to be very understanding while I was mean and unbearable to her. Sakura confused me every time we speak. That smile, I didn't understand whether it was a sarcastic smile or a genuine one. It probably was more of the latter than the former. It hurt me just to think that I said those words to her while she tried her best to be nice to me.

Then there was that day, a month later, when I got injured on a mission given to our team 7. I ran, more like tripped, into a professionally made trap that caused a deep gash in my right thigh. Naruto went to do some reconnaissance and bring back some woods for the fire, since we decided to stick around for the night. Sakura, being the medic in our team, was healing me, but she was too calm.

"Sakura―"

"―I'm concentrating" she spat, silencing me. I wondered if I would be able to apologize for what I've done, but I figured that would wait.

"Damn!" she cursed as the blood started oozing out of the wound. I winced, feeling the pain running through my body. She used her bare hands to cover the wound, pressing on it as green Chakura formed around her hands, healing me.

"I'm sorry" she said, smiling reassuringly at me. We've been running through the forest for hours and now, because of my carelessness, she's wasting her energy on me. She smiled at me again, even after what I've said to her.

She's driving me insane. How could someone be that nice to a person who's treating you badly?

I reached for her face, wiping away the beads of sweat forming on her face. I've never realized how soft her face felt. She paused, looked up at me before smiling, moving her face away. I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed that my action was ignored. Maybe that's how she felt every time I pushed her away.

"Don't move, Sasuke" she said, continuing on. I narrowed my eyes at her words. She didn't use the suffix she usually used when calling me.

Was she mad at me? Why wouldn't she? I've hurt her so many times. Now that I think of it, I don't think I've ever been nice to her.

I looked at her stern expression as she started to stop the bleeding. I didn't feel a thing; she was being cautious and firm yet gentle and loving. She bit her lip in an attempt to concentrate. I couldn't help but to smile. Yes, I, Uchiha Sasuke, admit that I smiled. A small one, that is.

I didn't realize she was done until she got up and walked away, saying something about washing the blood away. I looked down at my now bandaged thigh, spacing out for what it seemed like forever.

The injury seemed to be dangerous, yet she remained calm and did her job quite perfectly. After what I've done, she could've just left me to bleed to death, but she didn't. I wonder why.

I started getting up, bracing myself with the tree I leaned on but it was too much on my leg, I readied myself for the fall.

"You're not going to walk by yourself"

I looked to my right to see that she had her arms around my waist, preventing me from falling. She moved my right arm around her shoulder and moved her left behind my back.

"C'mon, let's take you back" she said, taking a couple of steps forward. I closed my eyes, realizing that I've just become a burden on her. I pushed her away, causing her to fall on the ground. I fell too.

Sakura looked at me with a shocked expression. I turned my head to the side, getting up on my own. "I don't need your help" I said, closing my eyes. I didn't know what came to me, but I don't want to be treated like a weak person. I'm strong, strong on my own.

"Doushite?" she asked, making me open my eyes. I turned to see that she was in tears. "Why do you push yourself away when I try to get close to you? Why don't you let me understand you―"

"―because you shouldn't interfere with others' business, Sakura. Because you will never understand" I interrupted her words, looking coldly at her. To be honest, I never understood why I pushed her away, physically and emotionally. I just felt like doing so, my pride prevented me from doing anything to fix the situation. Even after seeing her tears stroll down her cheek, nothing happened.

"Why would you assume I won't understand?" she said, sobbing lightly. "Why would you make assumptions when you didn't even try? Sasuke, I can be your friend because I AM your friend before I was your colleague. I-I care about you …" she said, crying. Seeing her cry did something to me. Maybe, something told me that she would understand if I opened up to her.

"…I usually don't give up, but I give up on you, Sasuke" she said, narrowing her eyes at me. "I'm sick of trying to be someone of importance in your life when I get nothing in return…"

That was it, her words killed me. I thought her stalking me was only a mere childhood crush, just a competition between her and Ino. I never believed that she wanted to be someone in my life. Did she mean everything she said? That situation made me confused and left me tongue-tied.

"…but if that's what you want, Sasuke…" she said, taking a couple of steps closer to me. I felt the time freeze for a second, as if it was telling me that it was my chance to apologize for what I've done, but as always…

…pride got in the way.

"…then so be it"

That was the last thing I heard from her. In the following couple of weeks, I never saw her. Every time our team got together, she'd find an excuse to stay away. I started feeling weary without her on our team. I never understood why, it was too much for me to handle.

I remember the time when I tried to speak to her in one of our team's meetings, but she found an excuse to run off.

"Sakura, wait!" I said, calling her to come back, but she didn't stop. She forced me to replace myself to be in front of her. She narrowed her eyes at me, looking at the ground as a sign of not wanting to even see me.

"Make it quick, Sasuke" she firmly said, "I don't have time for you"

I mentally laughed, not a happy one, it was more of a sarcastic laugh coming out from behind the pain. Her words were as cold as my own to her. The same tone, the same words, the same attitude; it drove me mad.

As soon as I opened my mouth to speak up, she smirked, crossing her arms. "I'm not really interested in what you'd say because I don't care anymore. I'm through caring for you" she said, simply walking off, leaving me in a similar situation to hers, just like I ignored her other times.

Then there I was, shivering as I stood at her doorway, feeling the cold wind run across my face. I raised my hand to knock on her door, but my hand quickly retreated. Why was I afraid? Perhaps I was afraid of being yelled at, losing my best friend. I was afraid of being pushed away, of being alone again.

Yes, I was afraid of being rejected by her.

I looked up at the wooden door of her house and sighed heavily. Perhaps it was best for us to leave things as they were, with both of us moving on.

I sighed, looking at the ground. I starting thinking back about all the things I've done, all the things I've said to her. I never though it would get to that point, the point where she's not even able to look at my face. I hated that feeling. I wonder if she had felt the same whenever I treated her badly.

I took one last look at the door, finally making my decision. I sighed, wishing that I could tell her the words that were in my heart.

"I'm sorry" I said, something in me wishing that she could hear those words. I never asked why, but I was starting to feel like I needed her in my life. After looking back on what I've done, I realized that not even the most forgiving person in the world would forget about my mistakes.

I slowly turned around, took a deep breath and exhaled it. Things might not be the same between us, but I will find a way to get to her.

That's when I heard the click of the door, before light illuminated the space in front of me. I turned around to see her, looking surprisingly at me, dressed in a dark blue jacket and a white winter cap.

"S-Sasuke" she mumbled, blinking a couple of times. Her eyes quickly watered because of the cold, her nose turning a bit red. I could see her breath as it was exhaled silently yet quickly.

I was tongue-tied again, having no idea what to say whatsoever. I blinked a couple of times, giving her a small smile.

"Sakura, please hear me out…" I started, taking a couple of steps closer. "…I just came by to…" I said, pausing for a minute. She was looking at me with those big green eyes of hers like she was anticipating for something

Then, after hearing my words, her expression changed. It was no longer an expression of eagerness but it was of hurt. I could read her face like an open book.

"To what, Sasuke, to hurt me even more, to make me feel humiliated and, and full of regret that I even thought of talking with you?" she said, narrowing her eyes at me.

It hurt me the way she replied to me, but I was glad that she was telling me everything that was bottled up inside. I can tell that this conversation is going to be too long.

"I'm sick of trying to make things right when you don't want to. I used to think it would be great to try and change you a bit, perhaps then, I…" she said, pausing. I could sense her tension from the way she looked at the ground.

"…I could help you by just being with you" she said, looking up at me, holding her hands against her chest. I remained silent, not knowing what even to say. I admired her for telling me everything she felt but then again, my pride was holding me back from speaking up. I wanted to apologize, to tell her how I felt about everything she said and did to me, everything she did _for_ me.

After all, she was willing to leave everything behind to help me avenge my clan.

"Sakura…" I started, stopping her from her speech. I found the difficulty in saying one small word; even the high ranked missions weren't as tough as this one.

"…Gomen"

I looked at the ground, feeling ashamed of everything I've done. I couldn't take it anymore; I didn't want to push her away more than I did before. I was alone my entire life and it's starting to get bothersome.

"Sa-su-ke…" she mumbled, her hands dropped to her sides. I looked up at her to see her eyes filling up with tears. I didn't know what came to me at that moment because I found myself taking a couple of steps closer to her, moving my arms around her and pulling her close to me, embracing her lightly. I was surprised by my own actions, but I knew somehow it was the right moment.

I could feel that her body was tense as I hugged her. A couple of seconds later, she relaxed but didn't return the hug.

Her actions reminded me of our first encounter after coming back to Konoha, when she anxiously waited for me, hugged me and I didn't return it. It was as if she was trying to make me feel the exact same way she felt, trying to make me go through what she went through. I have to admit, it hurt when you're being ignored. She was being ignored by someone she admired for a while.

"I'm sorry, Sakura" I said, closing my eyes. What surprised me the most was that she didn't pull back; she just buried her face in my chest. I could see her shivering in my arms, because of the cold, I guess.

But my guess was wrong, she was crying.

I didn't know what those tears meant, until I felt her arms circle my body. She pushed herself even more into my chest, sobbing.

"I hate you, Sasuke"

I silently gasped, hearing her words. She pulled back, wiping away the tears. I looked down at her eyes which were trying to avoid mine. Our bodies were still close to each other, I still held her shoulders, realizing that I don't want to let her go.

"You must!" I started, replying to her words. "You must hate me because I don't think you would want to even look me in the face after what I've done" I explained, finally being able to get the words out. She stood there as I held her shoulders, staring at me. Her look was blank; her eyes weren't readable as always. I couldn't predict her actions.

"…I want to…" I said, finding it very difficult to get the words out, "…I need you" I finally got it out, looking deep into her eyes.

She gasped, her breath no longer seen in this cold weather. My hand unconsciously reached for her cheek, wiping away her tears.

"I no longer want to be alone, Sakura"

At that moment, I felt that my heart was speaking for me, I wasn't aware of my words. I've been always talking with my pride, with my mind but never with my heart. Maybe, just maybe, it was the time I give my heart the chance to speak for itself.

"Please, forgive me" I mumbled, looking at her now crying figure. She held my hand, the one caressing her cheek and nodded.

"I never was mad at you, Sasuke-kun, I was just…hurt by the way you treated me when I tried to be your friend" she said, with a sad smile on her face. I nodded, really understand what she said.

"Gomen, My cherry blossom" I said, holding her close to me, wrapping my arms lovingly around her. I smiled when she returned the hug, closing my eyes and enjoying the warmth that engulfed our bodies, loving the feeling of being loved and cared for by someone.

"I forgive you" she mumbled, looking up at me and giving me her usual smile, the smile I began to be fond of, the smile that makes me drawn to her even more. I chuckled and held her in my arms again.

"Thank you, Sakura-chan" I said, wanting to hold her close to me forever. I finally realized that I can't linger in the past, I can't stay alone forever. I don't think there's anyone in this world that want to be alone. I finally found the person who could understand me more than myself. I'm just glad that I have someone in my life; my friends, my teammates…

"Sakura…" I mumbled, making her pull away and look at me. I smiled at her, caressing her pink hair. "…Arigatou, for being there for me, always." I finally said, releasing my heart out. She paused for a minute, tears welling up her eyes before nodding. "I'll always be there for you, Sasuke-kun" she said, smiling. I nodded and took her hands in mine.

"Are we…" I said, wanting to know whether it was okay for us to be friends again. She nodded, "yeah, we're cool" she said, chuckling.

"Great!" I exclaimed, smiling. "C'mon, I know this great place that serves some hot cocoa" I said, taking a couple of steps backwards. She laughed as I pulled her along, both of us knowing that we will move on with our lives, knowing that our friendship might not be the same again.

I smiled as she smiled at me, knowing that our friendship might turn out to be something even bigger and more wonderful than friendship. I let go of her hand and moved my right arm over her shoulder, pulling her closer to me.

The last time I had my arm around her shoulder was when I needed support, now, let's say that I could use a bit of support in my life. I know she'll be there for me.

_'I promise you, Sakura-chan, I promise you that I'll be there for you because I owe you. You changed me and you'll always do'_

That day, I learned so many things; I learned that it isn't too hard to apologize if you really mean it. I learned that there are people in the world that are the most forgiving in the world, and those people could be the closest to you. At first, I thought I was strong on my own. But then I learned that you're not half as strong as you are when you have you friends by your side.

I learned that it's never too easy to be alone. I knew that day that I really am willing to give her everything I have, because I know she's willing to do it too.

"Sasuke-kun…" she mumbled, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah?" I replied, looking down at her. She stopped walking and held my hand. She took a step closer and tiptoed, giving me a peck on my cheek. I paused, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks.

"Thank you, for getting the courage to show up." she said, smiling at me and walking ahead. I stood still, wondering what just happened. I slowly touched my cheek and smiled, the kiss made me positive.

"Sasuke-kun, C'mon!" she yelled, waving at me as she stood a couple of feet away from me.

_'The thing between Sakura and me…' _

"I'm coming!" I said, walking towards her. As soon as I stood by her side, I draped my arm around her shoulder, both of us walking where I wanted to take her.

_'…It will be more than good friendship.' _

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**THEY RULE! **

**I know it's pretty cheesy but that was my Sakura & Sasuke attempt. **

**I was planning on making Sasuke chicken out and leave, but then I figured, most of my one-shots have bad endings so I hope this one wasn't one. **

**See you soon. **

**Love y'all!!**


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